


Over the Edge and Back Again

by Anthiena, DaniPhandom



Category: Danny Phantom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2011-10-28
Updated: 2017-02-02
Packaged: 2017-10-25 01:17:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/270082
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anthiena/pseuds/Anthiena, https://archiveofourown.org/users/DaniPhandom/pseuds/DaniPhandom
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Valerie hurt Danny terribly when she rejected him... But this fight? It's not one either is going to walk away the same from...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Over the Edge and Back Again

Anth here. Editing the chapters to take out the excessive ellipses and stuff like that, is all. 

DISCLAIMER: WE OWN NOTHING.

 

_Dear Diary,_

_Today I bit the bullet. He's out of my life, and I feel horrible._

The joy of flight was something she savored above just about anything in being the red huntress. She would let herself go when there wasn't a fight and now, it brought nothing. Nothing at all. The sky was cloudless, too bright. The glare was reduced by her helmet and yet-that light seemed to pierce it. She'd hoped for a moment of joy, something to bring her out of the funk that was eating her up inside. Now? She'd settle for a fight to distract her from it.

_He gave me a ring. He was ready to get serious with me. His face when I told him. God, his face._

Phantom actually looked frustrated as she approached.

"Look, Val. Just go home. I don't have time for this, okay? I have bigger things to deal with," he told her. As if ghosts were reasonable. As if they even cared. She raised her hand-blasters, charging.

"Not my problem, ghost. You've caught me on a _very_ bad day. This? This is looking to be the highlight."

And blast. He quickly evaded her attack with a quick mid-air summersault.

"For once, listen to somebody! Jeez, why do I bother?"

She flew fiercely at him, swinging to land a punch as her hand-blaster let off a blast.

He couldn't dodge both and caught the blast. "Ugh, stupid cheesehead, I need to learn how to duplicate myself..." He muttered.

No more words, no more mercy. They'd taken her security, taken her contact with her father, taken Danny-she let that rage fill her as she relentlessly launched a flurry of punches at Danny.

_I feel like I've been a bitch. But I did what I had to do. Even if it did break his heart..._

He yelped, being driven back. "Valerie, listen to me-"

She may as well have been deaf, delivering a kick to his gut.

He flew back, hitting a tree. "Valerie... I _don't want to hurt you!_ "

"You're lying. You're a ghost, that's all ghosts do. All they've ever done! Why should you be any different?" Her voice was filled with a hatred and rage unusual, even in their fights, as she fired at him.

He cried out as he was hit. He slid down the tree he'd hit. He looked at her with half surprise. She got close, point-blank range. "Goodbye, Phantom."

The light alone would have thrown him off at least at this range-and she was right. More than she would soon wish to be.

"I'm sorry, Vale-"

_...it was for his own good. My life is too dangerous to let Danny get tangled up in..._

He looked oddly stunned on the ground. The glowing of his eyes faded to a color they should never have been, the white fading from his hair and the suit melting to clothes that she knew all too well. Except for two details-the damage and then what and who had come before.

She looked in horror at the sight, her panic running riot. "Danny! What did I-What did _they_ do to you!?"

The cooling body before her had no answers for her. He never would again. Her mind recoiled from what had transpired and provided answers in a bubble of irrationality. The answer was obvious. Phantom, he'd done something, replaced Danny, for who knows how long. To make her suffer. To hurt innocents. Yes, that was it. This thing-whatever it was, was still just a ghost. It wasn't Danny. It couldn't be. So why didn't the body melt away?

"-how... Valerie, what did you do?!" came a frightened voice, "How _could_ you!?" Black hair and purple eyes stared at the girl and downed teen.

"It's not what it looks like, Sam, this thing isn't Danny. This is what some ghost's done. I'm not sure how long. Could have been this way a while. All I know is, I take down Phantom, and this happens. I'll figure this out, don't worry... They'll pay."

There was a flat denial in her wide-open eyes. Jazz looked over at Sam and Tucker, who hesitated. Valerie was armed and human. The red-haired teenager spoke plainly, hands up, slowly approaching and speaking in what she hoped was a soothing enough voice. "Valerie, listen. I knew and have known for a long time that Danny i-was... different. Remember the accident at the beginning of the year? And Spectra?" She wanted to cry. She also had to take control.

"You've _known_ they replaced him? Why?" She pointed threateningly at Jazz, "why-unless they've got you too!" It immediately became a question, of if she could trust anyone.

"He wasn't replaced, Valerie!" she exclaimed, "He saved my life-he always held back whenever you fought him!"

"No. If that thing was ever Danny, I'd have realized. And he'd have told me. _Danny_ cared about me. All Phantom ever did was try to make my life hell."

"He didn't even tell _me_ , Val. I saw him transform during the Spectra thing and that was the only way I knew-and Sam and Tucker saw how he became Phantom!" Jazz saw in Valerie's twitching hands that she was losing her verbal argument. 

"You're trying to shut me up. You're lying because you're one of them," Valerie asserted, letting off a blast, "No! I won't be tricked by ghosts!" She fled to the skies without seeing the result, her manner even there erratic, swerving on two axis.

Jazz got knocked down with a loud cry, screaming at the burns that now covered her chest.

Sam rushed to Danny's body, finally venting the scream of grief she'd been holding back, sobbing over him. "No, no, no!" She keened.

"Oh, man, not like this Danny. Not like this." Tucker didn't bother to hold back either as tears traced a path over his cheeks and down his chin.

Jazz closed her eyes, and attempted to sit up, managing only to bend slightly before falling back from the pain, with a slight cry. She rifled through her pockets, for her phone; she was apparently the only of them composed enough to call in the emergency. Tucker dragged himself to Jazz. "Are-are you okay-I mean, what do I do?" He was generally the calm one but he hadn't had to find someone's murdered corpse before.

"First... we need to call 911. I'm. Ah-not sure but I think I've got serious burns. If not worse. And report that we're witnesses to a murder scene. I know Valerie didn't know what she was doing, but guys. We can't let her off, like this. She's unstable." Jazz told him as she fought back the pain enough to keep it together, taking deep breaths so she wouldn't hyperventilate.

"She-she's gonna hurt innocent people. Danny always said she wouldn't ever go too far, but-" He cut himself off and took out his own phone and dialed with shaky hands, stifling his own sob. Sam was just lost to her own sorrow, her wailing dying down to just keening while she rocked herself.

Jazz was sympathetic and laid back her head. "She's lost it. And, Tucker we can't really hold her responsible." _No matter how much we'd like to_ went unsaid. Tears streaked her face, but her grief was mostly internalized. She was needed, here. To be the level head that'd gotten her sprawled across the pavement.

"Hello. I. I'd like to report a homicide..." he spoke into the phone, trying to stay calm as his voice cracked with grief.

Tucker continued to talk. "-and someone was hit, too-she's got burns and I think other injuries I don't know. I'm near the corner of-"

Jazz tried her best to listen, to stay conscious, but slowly, it went to a pain-washed black.

 

The next thing she was conscious of was the smell of hospital sheets, and the sound of her mother crying. She opened her eyes, with effort. "Mom?" she managed, her voice a bit ragged- to be expected, she'd very nearly ended up with a punctured lung. As it was, the cracked rib had merely brushed it slightly. The burns were distant and painful, but likely drugs kept the worst at bay along with being wrapped.

"Jazz? You're awake!" Maddie grasped her daughter's hands. "I can't _believe_ someone would do that to Danny, he'd never hurt anyone!"

Jack brightened seeing her awake, though he still looked haggard. Both adults looked hollowed by the experience, eyes puffy for them both. "Got that good old Fenton stubbornness, in there." Jack told her, opposite of her mother but still by her bed, looking awkward but well-meaning through a tight smile.

".Mom, Dad, I. There's something you need to know." Jazz said, tears escaping her eyes, "And it's your choice if it goes any further."

Maddie looked over at her husband. "Of course, Jazz." She grasped the younger girl's hand. "You can talk to us about anything."

"Danny... he's. He had been hiding something," Jazz admitted, "-for a while, now. The ghost boy. Danny was the ghost boy. The portal accident did something, it gave him powers. And he'd been using them to help people."

"-but... why didn't he tell us?" Jack asked, "I mean, that's nothing to be ashamed of."

Maddie looked horrified as pieces fell into place. "The portal accident."

"He was afraid," Jazz said, "It made him part ghost. He thought if he told you, you might not accept him." Would they now? She had no doubt and was glad to see that her good opinion of her parents was right as a different sort of pain settled into their faces atop of all that had already happened.

"We'd never-all the times we talked about studying the ghost boy in front of Danny, no wonder he was scared." Maddie rubbed her face. "Oh, my special little boy."

"I saw who did it, Mom," she said, speaking more softly, "if it means anything, she's-I think she may be hurting worse than any of us."

"You saw who killed him?" Her mother was running thin as a wire.

"I didn't watch it happen, but Valerie was there, over his body. She seemed horribly shaken. I think they were fighting, him as Phantom but she didn't know either. Mom, I think she's gone insane. Paranoid-delusional, at least. She insisted it was just a doppelganger, and she blasted me when I tried to tell her the truth. I don't think she could accept that she killed him, what with how they were. I honestly... The police should know, so she doesn't end up hurting anyone else, but she didn't mean this. We know her. She's no cold-blooded killer."

"Where did she get those weapons?" Maddie was confused. "Who on earth would give them to her?"

"We're not 100 percent sure," Jazz said, "the last time, we think it was Technus. But Danny hasn't told me otherwise."

Jack looked more concerned than confused. "A crazy teenager with more advanced weaponry than a SWAT team. That's more than the police can take."

"-Jack, she's human. We need to capture, not kill. No matter what she's done." 

It hurt Maddie to say that.

Jazz closed her eyes a moment before looking both in the eyes; "Valerie hurts as much as we do about this, what she needs is help. She needs to see the truth. It's what Danny would want."


	2. Chapter 2

The room was spitting out pitiful attacks that Plasmius was able to dodge and counter with ease-however, it was not to challenge him

He looked behind him, checking on the one who it _was_ meant to challenge. Danielle was still learning, but handling it pretty well- she'd so far managed without incident, and was actually catching up to him.

"Better hurry, Daddy, I'm getting closer!" She called in her high, competitive voice

He chuckled and smiled fondly. "You're supposed to, Danielle!"

She made it past the last several, closing the gap. "How'd I do?" she said, smiling proudly. It was her best time through the adapting course so far- she was definitely improving.

"Very good. You show marked improvement, just as I had hoped-even better, in fact." He lavished the praise. "Now- as for next training, it will be also growing with you. If you aren't challenged, you aren't learning. So-" A loud sound that sounded suspiciously like the 'wrong' buzzer from Jeopardy sounded. "Hrm... that would be one of my employees. I'll be back after, my pet. Work calls! This may be important."

The armor had automatically alerted him because Danny was in the vicinity, and his lifesigns were low... By the time the live feed activated, he was dead. "Where do I go, who do I trust, now..." came a low muttering to herself through the feed.

Vlad made his way to where he kept his eye on Valerie-he had been busy with the clones. Far too busy, he found as he got to the feed. The revelation of Daniel's death had floored him. Alone. He was alone again-but no, that wasn't true anymore was it? "Valerie? Can you hear me?" he spoke sharply, "What on Earth is going on out there in Amity Park?"

What a godforsaken city.

"Mr. Masters? I wish I knew. Some... ghost had replaced Danny. It's dead now... But I have no idea who else might be replaced, or why, other than to make my life hell."

He became very calm. "I understand, Valerie. Now listen to me very carefully. I have studied ghosts most of my life out of self-interest and I will tell you now-most ghosts who reach Earth aren't interested in making pod-people." He was flat in his statement, serious and hiding his dismay. Valerie was emphatically _not_ supposed to kill Daniel.

"Whatever that thing was, it wasn't Danny," she said, "And that's the most rational explanation for why."

"I have done a lot of study into this subject, Valerie. The Fentons have a portal. It did not work at first-" He should know, he sabotaged it- "-and Daniel waltzed into it, activating it from inside. The energies should have killed him in short order. Instead, it gave him an alternate form, empty of personality and thought except from the human half."

"No," she said, "it wasn't Danny. It can't have been Danny. I would have known if it was Danny. There's something else. Ghosts."

There was a manic, almost frantic, tone in her voice... She'd not hear the notion. "Valerie, you need to land, take off your armor and take a breath. Find somewhere to get your head together. You just killed for the first time, it isn't an easy thing. You trust me, so listen to me." He felt oddly calm. "Where are you? I will come to you."

"You want me to rest with a ghost threat that's already at work in Amity Park? Vlad, have you lost your mind?" She sighed, "I'll be around. Looking for any clue-ins on this. I'll find you, if you're in town."

He growled in his throat. "I will find you." No question about that-only if someone else would find her first, that could be utterly unfortunate. He closed down the comm.

"That _unbelieveable-"_ >He was angry-something that he didn't often get outside the Fentons-something about that blasted town just triggered that rage.

Dani had waited patiently, dropping out of ghost-mode to conserve her strength. Vlad was far less put together when he got to Dani. He was astonished-and horrified. "I cannot believe it."

"What is it, Daddy?" she asked, concerned, "What's happened?"

"Someone... important to me has died. The one who you were created from was murdered and his murderer has-" He took a deep breath, trying to make sense of it still. "She has become unhinged from the grief."

"Why?" she asked, not understanding. It was something they both shared then. "Why would someone who cared about a person kill them?"

"We have two forms-she was not aware that the human she cared about was the ghost she despised. Her weapons weren't supposed to be anything more than a nuisance... not this. Not like this." He murmured.

"Huh. I guess we're gonna have to fight her, aren't we?" Straight and to the point, as a child could be.

He sighed. "Yes-but this. This also means-" A deeper wave of horror and grief hit him as twin facts occurred to him. "I can't cure you from Danny."

She took a sharp breath in as she realized it, "I... I'm going to-" She was afraid- a natural reaction to her situation.

"No, no you're not. I'll find another way," he spoke quickly. Even if he didn't know how, he would find a way-even if he was still sick himself-but he was complete, unlike her. "There is one other way, but I'm not certain it would work."

"What is it?" she asked, clinging to hope, her face scrunched with worry.

"My own DNA," he stated simply, "For you and your brother who sleeps."

She nodded, "Okay. First, we can find the one who killed. She could hurt people if we don't deal with her first."

He smiled faintly and knelt before her, a hand on her cheek. "Yes. That's right my dear."

He embraced her back tightly. It had affected him more than he had thought. It was better that he try and get by with what he had now. And did he have now? A beautiful little girl who thought the world of him-and perhaps, that was enough. It would have to be. Danny Fenton was dead.

"You are precious-so very precious, my dear." He said, realizing the truth as he spoke it.

She smiled at him brightly with determination. "So are you, silly. Now let's stop being so sappy and get to work!"

He felt that familiar rage and was entirely cold. "Now, off to Amity Park."

She tapped her chin, frowning thoughtfully. "By our own flight, or by your plane?"

He quickly dismissed the first option. "My plane. No use exerting you without reason."

She nodded, "Yeah, just wondering about the delay in speed, but I guess that's more important, with.” she paused, it was still something she didn’t like facing, “...the only known way to cure me, gone."

"I will find a way, Danielle. For all of us." He told her.

She grinned through the nervousness, "I know you will. You're not the kind to give up easy."

He smirked at her, more his usual self through this awful accident. "Yes. That's correct."

 

It was late when the plane landed, of course. He found out late in the afternoon and ended up carrying Dani off the plane in his arms, asleep. He hated to wake her after a long day and an excellent training session. It was better than he could have hoped for. She wanted to please, to excel and to compete. She would have been perfect for the purpose he had been planning to put her to. That was thrown out the window now.

Within hours, everything was different. He knew it, even if nobody else- not even the slumbering girl in his arms- did as to how different. He found a dark place to transform and flew to a motel, reverting and quickly checking in. He placed her down on a bed in the room and kissed her forehead. This was something he had to do alone. He took to the skies once more, his arms empty and his thoughts racing. Where was Valerie? What was she doing? Her state of mind? All this he wondered in vain.

He phased through the hospital, looking first for the morgue. He'd try to console Maddie... but first, he needed to see. To prove it to himself, perhaps. He had not pulled the trigger, but he was responsible for the death of a fairly innocent child. He found the corpse soon enough, unzipping and seeing that someone had closed the child's eyes. He could almost imagine that Daniel was sleeping. A touch proved that he was not. The pallor was uncanny, even compared to his ghost form.

"Daniel... you foolish, foolish boy. This didn't need to happen," he spoke. He brushed the bangs from Danny's forehead. "Goodbye, Daniel... Fenton." He had almost said my son-but he realized Danny wouldn't have wanted that. He zipped up the bag and replaced it before going to the more busy parts of the hospital. He transformed in a bathroom stall near where Maddie was and walked to her. The death and injury of her son and daughter respectively in a day had aged her terribly. He had done that. _He had done that._ She was near Jazz's room- the nurse was in there now, changing the bandages, and she... had gotten a bit queasy at the sight.

"Maddie, I came as soon as I had heard. I am so sorry. Daniel was a bright young man," he told her genuinely, "If you need anything at all, just tell me what it is. If it is in my power, I will do it."

She started- she was somewhat lost in thought when he'd approached. "Vlad. Sorry, I-." She sighed. "News travels fast, I suppose... Thank you."

He placed his hands on her shoulders. "I can take care of any of the bills. It's the _least_ I can do. You are a special woman and these things shouldn't have happened."

She nodded and smiled gratefully; "Thank you. They say Jazz is lucky, she doesn't appear to be developing infection in the burns."

"That is very good. It would be rather an unpleasant thing." Not something he envied her of.

"Yeah. And she'd be more likely to need grafts." Maddie put a hand to her forehead. "They're changing her bandages, I. Didn't have the stomach to watch."

"That... was why you didn't visit, isn't it." It wasn't a question.

She nodded, "yes."

He was hurt but understanding. "It's been so long since then, hasn't it?"

"Yes.” She paused, almost-hesitant. “I'm sorry."

He wanted to kiss her-but now was certainly not the time. "I missed you, very greatly." On second thought... when would be the time? He leaned in close. "More than you know."

She flinched just slightly, looking down guiltily. "Vlad. Not now. Please."

He backed away, giving her room.

"I thought perhaps even _you_ would know now is not the time."

"I'm sorry." He spoke softly. "I suppose I am more affected than I thought by the loss. It is always too soon for a child." He spoke.

She sighed softlyl "I know. I'm thankful she at least made it out alive. I don't know what I'd do if I'd lost them both..."

"She is quite strong." Vlad agreed. Personal experience had taught him that. "And intelligent."

"Resilient, too... She gets that from Jack."

He sighed. "Yes. How is he holding up?"

"Holding things together. He's out to grab us anything other than hospital food..."

"Good old Jack." He said plainly.

She nodded, "You can go in, if you've the stomach."

"Right." He spoke. "I will go wish her well."

He knocked softly on the door before entering.

"Hey, Vlad," Jazz said, "Figured I'd see you around soon enough." She regarded him with a discerning look.

He rubbed his forehead. "How did this travesty happen?"

"Valerie. She. she's crazy. She killed Danny, for... What he was. They know now, by the way. Mom and Dad. About him."

"-but not me." He finished.

She nodded, the nurse finishing up on her bandages. "Yes. I know there was an agreement there."

"Smart girl." He told her. "So Valerie shot you in her madness."

"Yes. After I tried to tell her. She thought he was a fake, and because I insisted he wasn't, that I was a fake."

He sighed. "Ah, yes. That is unfortunate."

She turned away a moment, thanking the nurse as she finished and left. "Yeah. Could be worse. If I'd have been closer, I could be gone now too. So, are you going to stop her?"

"I will take responsibility, yes." He told her. "I have some help."

"Oh?" she asked, "who?"

"The result of experiments I have been working at for some time. She... is genetically your brother's twin, minus a Y chromosome." He spoke uneasily.

"A clone," she said, in mild awe. "I don't suppose I'll be meeting her, will I?" Even in the circumstances, her curiosity was piqued.

"Yes, you will. She is physically about twelve. She will be posing as my adopted daughter officially, of course." He stated. "I wanted to understand why Daniel was never sick."

She took even breaths as she could through the pain; "I think he said it had something to do with a purifier on the portal."

"I need to look over everything-it is extremely important" Vlad told her.

She raised a brow in suspicion. "Why?" she asked.

"The accident in college made me sick. I'm in remission now, but without help, I'm going to die. Nobody knows." He told her. He wasn't sure why entirely why he had confided in her, but it was done.

"I see," she said, looking uneasy. "I'm sorry. That's not my call, Vlad. I'd need mom and dad to agree, too.

It was part of why he had cloned Daniel. The other part was not something he was going to tell Jazz or any soul living or dead. "I see. They would be helpful. It is only fitting." He sighed.

She looked him straight in the eyes with a pointed stare. "Vlad, can I ask you a favor? Make sure Valerie gets proper mental care, after you bring her in."

He flinched. "Of... course." Well, what else could he do with the girl?

"It's what Danny would've wanted."

"It would be, wouldn't it." Vlad sighed. "I will bring Danielle by later."

Jazz nodded, "Thanks. You should be getting out there, before she..."

"Of course." He demurred. "We shall speak again soon."

"Good luck."

They would both need it.

 


	3. Madness

Dani was sleeping rather peacefully on the motel bed when Vlad arrived back. He ended just taking off his suit jacket and pulling his hair free of his ponytail. He sighed and decided that he was simply tired. He lay down beside her, cuddling her close. Daniel... was dead, by human hands before he had a chance. He knew that he would have to think of a way to get Valerie. Without killing her.

He fell asleep without a clear idea how.

Danielle roused at his touch, not awake, not yet, but pulled close to him in her sleep... And it was in this position she awoke, in the morning. She yawned softly as she woke up. "Good morning, Daddy," she said groggily.

"Good morning." He murmured before blinking fully awake. "So," she said, sitting up and stretching, "What did you learn from the Fentons last night?" She wasn't stupid, of course he'd check on them!

"I have seen the body. Jasmine is very hurt but she will live. She would like to meet you." He told her as he went fishing in a bag for a tooth brush and other morning kit. 

She smiled, just a bit, at what he said about her. "Heh. Maybe, sometime."

"Soon as Valerie is taken care of, yes." He brushed the hair from his face.

She stood, cracking her knuckles, "Yeah. We have a plan, there, other than just whomping her?"

"Are you ready for your first fight, then?" He chuckled. "We knock her out, strip her of her weapons and bind her for the authorities to find. Fairly simple for a plan."

Dani bounced lightly on the hotel bed. "Okay. Sounds simple enough. How hard could it be, you designed the stuff, after all."

He shaved the bit of fuzz that had grown overnight and trimmed his beard. "She is wanted for murder, but with her state of mind, she will likely be committed, not jailed. But don't underestimate her." Dani nodded, "Well, that much's good, at least... If she wasn't trying to, like you said."

"Let's get ready, my dear." He hugged her close. "We have a crazed murderer-the hunter becomes the hunted."

Dani nodded, "Right." She took a deep breath, "This will be interesting, at least."

"At least." He agreed before rifling through his bag, grabbing clean clothes and heading to the bathroom.

She simply concentrated, going into ghost-mode... It'd be hard, but she was confident they'd be fine.

Vlad came out simply in ghost-mode, smiling brightly.

"Lead the way," she said, gamely, "You can track her by her suit, right?"

He nodded, looking pleased at her remembering. "Correct, very good. I also have a comm line." He took out an earpiece and pressed it. "Valerie. Can you hear me?"

"I read you, Vlad. No leads so far, thought I've noticed there seem to be less ghosts than usual. My guess is they're clearing out for this plan."

Incorrect, they fled because they'd felt his presence-the older, feared Plasmius was not someone to be trifled with. He sighed. "Where are you? I've flown into the city by plane and I'm coming to you. Where do you wish to meet?"

"Where are you? I'll find you."

His face flickered into a scrunch of annoyance. "We ought to meet where there are few people if you are correct." Which he knew she wasn't. "How about the park in town? It is unusually large for a city green space."  
"Of course. See you there, Mr. Masters."  
He tapped it again, closing the connection. "Oh, snickerdoodles." He spat creatively. "We're off to the park, my dear Phantom."

She jumped on the bed exuberantly. "Lead on." She jumped off gracefully.

The pair took off towards the park green, Vlad motioning before his eyes before going invisible

She followed, going invisible. The way there did not take long to traverse, yet Valerie had beat them there and was circling the park, like a great predatory bird. She turned in air, her suit detecting the ghosts on its sensors, though she couldn't see them. She pointed her blasters in that direction, sending off a shot. Dani dodged to avoid it, causing the shot to go wide.

Vlad himself fired not at her, but at the glider calmly with his pointer finger. It was hit and bucked, but as she recovered, she sent another blast at the source of his, best she could tell. "Show yourselves!" she spat.

He caught the blast, redirecting it with ease. "You look different this time, child." He growled out, displeased. Where had she gotten the new armor? And when? This had been a major slipup.

"Thanks. I got a few upgrades last time I had to fight Phantom, before I destroyed him." Phantom, not Danny. She had blocked it from her head, the possibility Jazz raised that the two were truly one.

"You can say it right, child-you _killed_ him." Vlad told her. "That Phantom really was Daniel, I'm afraid. It's time for the madness to end."

"No," Valerie said, her face becoming a mask of rage, "that wasn't Danny. _That wasn't Danny!_ " As if by an animal instinct, she lunged forwards towards Vlad, crying out in rage.

Danielle sent off blasts at her with both hands, not speaking so much as a word.

She held on to him, pressing a blaster to his chest. "Where's your friend, ghost?" she spat, "Call them off. Now."

He was forced back. "I will not." He growled. "You don't want to kill a _human_ , do you?"

"No. But you're just a ghost." She fired.

Dani went in for the close engagement then, knowing at least her father was likely clear, blasting Valerie relentlessly. Valerie struck back with a flurry of punches delivered in time with blasts, sending Dani a good ways back.

Vlad winced and growled. He had not quite lost his temper but he watched Danielle. "Careful!" He called out, sounding concerned.

Dani held herself in the air, flickering to visibility during the beating.

Vlad took the opportunity to attack the glider again-if he could ground her, it was just short of over, he figured. It bucked, nearly sending her off before she managed into a controlled descent, firing at Vlad. "Your little friend's shown herself, aren't you braver?" Valerie taunted, "You are the brains of this, I'd guess."

Dani gathered herself, firing again at Valerie, growing her bravery, bobbing and weaving around the girl.

"Heroes are only good as human mine detectors. I'm too smart to be /brave/, child." He sneered, watching her go down. "For example, you have lost considerable maneuverability."

She reached into her backpack, pulling out her bazooka, "And your invisibility is only good if you keep quiet, ghost." She fired in the direction of his voice.

He lost his invisibility, hand going to where she shot him, losing his own altitude. "You ingrate-" He spat angrily.

She aimed her wrist-blasters, firing repeatedly in tandem at him. He couldn't dodge them all like that, though he caught a great deal with his hands and his cape. He was preparing a move he had taught himself, for whatever circumstances called for it. This was it-it just took time to charge.

Dani fired at Valerie, drawing away her attention and fire. This was the time for her to shine and make him proud.

Vlad was startled. "No-"

Valerie was standing still, firing. _Now_ was the time for him to act, before Dani was too tired. She'd already taken a couple hits, near her limit. He released the energy at Valerie, trying to stall Valerie, if not knock her out.

Her armor overloaded, powering down, but not before she managed one last shot... And Danielle began losing altitude, fast. "No!" He had put too much into it to duplicate and rushed to catch her. "-my poor girl-"

She was weak, soft... Her breathing was rapid. "Daddy...?" she said, less winded and more as if she was feverish.

Valerie threw off her helmet, noticing the ghost catching the other. She approached, tentatively, looking almost as if she was realizing something. Danielle's condition, though, was only worsening, her legs beginning to drip green. "Did. Did I do good, Daddy...?" Dani asked, smiling softly up at him.

He shook. "Yes, hold onto yourself, _please_ -"

Valerie's face became a mask of horror, identification dawning on her. They were just like us. And that prospect terrified Valerie. Valerie ran.

Dani held onto him, "I love you, Daddy..." She tried her hardest to fight it, but found herself beginning to lose consciousness.

"I love you, too _-Danielle!_ "

Her form became less defined in his arms, her eyes closed, but her face now tensed in pain. She was holding on, as hard as she could-But it wasn't enough.  
He held her close, something breaking. He howled out and poured out everything-his power, his emotions-holding her to his chest. Something bright left him in that moment-as did something that had been hurting him, brown liquid on the ground and himself-human.

Her ghostly form glowed, a bright white from the energies, becoming more ethereal in his hands before solidifying, her white hair now with a streak of black on the side, her skin a pale blue, but otherwise unchanged, but unconscious. It dropped from ghost form, her hair inverting and her civvie clothes visible. She was still rather tired from having almost died and all- she'd not wake up for a while.

He slumped forward, groaning. "What?" He saw her in his arms, alive. "Oh, than-" He stood up, reaching for his ghost half, finding it gone. "I'm merely.... blessedly human." He murmured in wonder.

Valerie was in a world of her own, some ways across the park... she'd curled her knees to her chest on a park bench... The realization has pushed her past her delusions, but she was far from alright. "I didn't kill him... I didn't kill him... I didn't kill him..."

"Valerie." Came a pained voice. "I've been looking for you since yesterday-where have you been?" She seemed hardly even to notice, continuing to mutter to herself. Damon Grey touched his daughter's shoulders. "Please talk to me, Val."

She seemed to register then, looking up, panic-stricken. "I. There... bad things. Horrible things," she fumbled, attempting to piece together a sentence through her shock. "He, he's dead."  
He sat beside her, taking her into his arms. "Oh, Val... please talk to me-I don't understand."  
She held on tightly to him, "Phantom. Danny. Dead," she managed, through heavy breathing, "I... I didn't do it, I didn't kill him, I didn't kill him, I didn't kill him..."

He stroked her hair. "It's okay, Valerie. It's okay.... shhh, baby girl. It's okay right now."  
She quieted, but her grip stayed just as tight. Somewhere through her madness, he reached her "I love you, Valerie. No matter what." He stared up. Lights in the distance told him that time was growing thin. "Ever since your mother..." He couldn't finish.

She hugged him back, tears escaping. There were no words for her, right now.

The police gave a few siren wails but cut it. Three cars had pulled up, each with two in it, a few drawing weapons. "Please-there's no need for that. She's not a danger to anybody right now." Damon called. Not anymore.

The cop in charge came forward. "Understand our precaution, sir." He came close, speaking softly. "Valerie Grey, you are under arrest."

She drew away, "No..." she said softly, terrified. "No, no, no... I didn't kill him."

He carefully approached the pair. "You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney during interrogation; if you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed to you."

She seemed to draw away in anxiety, muttering to herself again. "Valerie." Damien spoke quietly. "It's time to face what you have done. I'm sorry, honey."

"No," she whimpered quietly, "no, no no no no..."

One police officer made a quiet call on his radio. "The paramedics are on their way, Mister Gray." Announced the officer.


	4. After the Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As a note, this is mostly edited from logs of us writing together from 2011. What a wonderful thing technology is. We wrote basically all of the fic and we'll wrap this one up. It's about a fourth edited currently but with my current speed and lack of evening ventures, it shouldn't be too hard to get it done in an expeditious manner. Lots and LOTS of scrubbing IM formatting and reformatting for basic html.

Some hours later, Dani finally stirred, yawning as she sat up in the hotel bed.

He looked up and he seemed to uncoil, his shoulders going from scrunched up to a more natural posture. "Danielle, you survived." He smiled as he leaned closer to hear her better.

She shook her head to wake herself up, slapping her face lightly a few times; it stung, it was real. "-how?" The single word was aching, wondrous as her voice cracked with overwhelming relief.  
"I. can never go ghost again." He hesitated, another sort of aching as his head tilted towards her own, eyes closed.

She looked shocked, "What, how?" That didn't really matter, but-she squeezed him in a tight hug.

"You are well. That is all that matters." He told her. "Now-we have someone to visit when we are ready." He smiled and gave a small chuckle, pulling her from her sickbed to a warm embrace, 

"We. You got Valerie, then?" she asked.

"Yes. We did. She's in police custody now." He told her.

"Good," Dani sad, smiling, "what I did wasn't for nothing."

He embraced her. "We can check, but I believe that you are stable now. You can help awaken your brother when we return. The ah, contamination that sickened me is also gone."

She smiled, holding him tightly, "That's great, Daddy!"

"It is indeed, dear." He felt oddly empty yet warm without his ghost half. Perhaps someday... no. He wouldn't risk the sickness. He would find another way. "When you want to, we can visit Jasmine. I am sure she'd want to see you." Perhaps to give her brother a goodbye, even in spirit.

Dani nodded, "I'm ready. At least it's something, y'know?" She felt like getting out of the bed and doing something, like she'd been there longer than she had... likely a small symptom of her higher energy levels.

He chuckled and kissed her forehead. "Ah, yes. I slept well enough. Let's go."

The hospital had the same smell as any other-an almost stale, antiseptic smell. Honestly, it sickened him. The room was at the moment empty- Visiting hours were just beginning in a few minutes, and the waiting room was rather cramped. In one corner, Jack and Maddie had managed to fall asleep in its chairs leaning on each other.

Vlad felt anger and irritation at the sight of the pair being such lovebirds-but noted something he had half-expected: Daniel's friends.

Jack could sleep. Danielle would only raise questions he did not have the energy to lie well to-and it had been a very long day. He waited to see Jasmine, keeping quiet, hands on Danielle's shoulders.

The wait was but a short one, rather quickly they were allowed in- Jazz had been awake. They'd find her writing- an affadavit.

"And so this part of our lives end. Incidentally, I no longer have need of your parent's portal. Jasmine... this is Danielle." He spoke in way of introduction. "My adopted daughter-and genetically... your sister."

Jazz looked up, putting the paper aside and turning to look at the girl... who responded with a somewhat self-conscious smile, "Uh, hi."

Jazz was taken aback with how much she did and did not look like Danny-it was surreal. "So you're... are you half ghost like Danny was?"

Dani nodded, "Yeah. Not quite as strong, but I've been working on that one." She gave a playful grin.

Jazz gave a half-hearted smile. "I... wish you could have met him before this. You talk very well-but you can't be that old, can you?"

"I've been able to talk since I was born," Dani replied, "I don't pretend to really get it, but somehow Daddy made me at this age, and with a bit of stuff in my head, too."

"Subliminal knowledge. Mechanical things are easy enough although it took longer to teach the finer points of social behaviour." Vlad clarified. Among other things.

"Ah, I see. Are... there others?" The injured girl asked.

"Not conscious, no," Dani answered, "but there is the Prime Clone. He... still needs to be fixed."

Jazz thought a moment. "In human cloning, only one out of seven is a perfect copy; so five unable to live normally, one with livable mutations-and then the perfect copy. What... happens to those other five?"

"Not... quite viable. It took considerable effort to help Danielle." Vlad spoke. "There is nothing I can do for the rest but let them sleep in peace." 

"Yeah. We all have a flaw. Well, I may not have it now, the whole thing's fuzzy, but. One part of Danny's DNA was missing, his midmorph DNA. It's why the Prime Clone still needs to be fixed. Without it he'd just die, after a while." Dani added to that.

The redhead's pen rested at that statement. "That's... well-" What else could Vlad do? "Anyway, it's. Nice to see you, Dani." She spoke without realizing. "Even if we don't see each other again-you live out _your_ life, not my brother's-and tell that to... the Prime Clone, too. You get another chance. And _you better treat them well, Vlad_."

Vlad demurred with a wave of his hand. "Of course. They are my children. I’m not a monster."

Dani smiled boldly. "I will. And dad's already saved my life today. You don't have to worry for me."

Jazz looked relieved. "Can... I hold your hand, Dani? Even just once?"

Dani nodded, "Of course. I'd like that." She stepped closer, taking Jazz's hand... "I think we'll see each other more than you'd think."

Jazz let out a sob. "I... I'm going to miss you and him both a lot and-" Her voice cracked. "I am so glad I got to see you."

Dani was somewhat unsure what to do... so she just hugged Jazz. "I'm happy I met you too, Jazz."

Vlad watched passively-the grief was natural but something he had to push away. Work was to be done-some part of Daniel would indeed live on, if not in the usual way. He would never admit it but the clones could be fairly said to be Daniel's children as much as anyone else's. Jazz finally found calm and sniffled, smiling. "You'll have your own family now, your own destiny. I'm sure we'll cross paths, too. I guess... it just finally hit me. I'm never going to see Danny again. Ever."

Dani frowned thoughtfully "I'm sure he'll see you. Somewhere, y'know? He's watching."

She gave a weak laugh. "Maybe. I just hope he's at peace-where ever he is."

"I am certain that you will understand that we do not stay for Daniel's funeral. I- _we_ have work to do. I will certainly make sure that the influx of ghosts that trouble this city do not go overboard-in fact, they might be fearful enough to quit coming through." Vlad stated.

Dani grinned cheekily, "And if they do become a problem, well, I think I can say you can count on us."

Distaste flickered over Vlad's features but he remained solid. "It is what Daniel would want, yes."

Dani stood, "We'd better be off before your parents wake up and see me... That'd raise a lot of questions I don't think Dad's ready to answer."

Vlad looked away. He wanted a great deal-explaining Danielle to Maddie in front of Jack and dealing with his over-the-top behaviour was not one of them. He was distracted by his own emotions. He would not sink so low as to take advantage of Maddie's grief over her son at that point. It would lower himself in Dani's eyes.

His reverie finished but another matter of business came to mind-specifically for Jazz. "It's time to go now. I would be appreciative-oh, there is one thing for later. It won't be any harm to you but one of these days we must speak of your last stay at my home and the consequences of it."

Jazz nodded, "I understand... Good luck."

They left for Wisconsin and peace, but it would be a long week for the Fentons. An autopsy didn't reveal much that wasn't publicly known-he was shot, multiple times though the worst damage was actually to his head, which had killed him instantly. Valerie was clearly unfit to stand trial, not even being able to speak coherently to anyone and the funeral... well, Tucker was silent but Sam had just fallen apart as they had lowered Danny's casket into the ground. She'd had to be restrained from running to it. It would take a long time for her to recover from the loss. Jazz found herself healing faster than the doctor's had expected but was still terribly injured. Valerie was not coming home, though.

Valerie's 'home' would now be somewhere far different.


	5. Caged Bird

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Usually, I've been stripping out 90% of the ellipses we used unless where they were made sense. I left them largely in Valerie's dialogue here because she isn't sure, she's not really with it and she's severely traumatized; it reflects her state of mind and mental disarray well. I will be posting chapters daily as long as I have one ready. This will be the last editor's note until the final chapter of backlog I edit.

Valerie looked like she'd been through hell and back. And in a sense, she had. She walked pace with the guard leading her to the door... 'Amity Park Psychiatric Hospital.'

The cop went to a small window, an anonymous older woman-clearly a nurse-presenting paperwork for the cop to sign. The cop thanked her, escorting her to a door, opened by a woman in blue scrubs. "Hello there. I'm Tina, a nurse here. I don't know if I'll be assigned to you but it's likely. Welcome to Amity Park Psychiatric Hospital. For some reason, people here call it Apho. I'm sure that you're nervous but you are perfectly safe here." She stated as she led them to an elevator.

Valerie followed but didn't speak, seeming less scared than sad about the place.

"You'll be in the long-term high risk adolescent ward. We are very careful about things-for your safety and others. There will be visits of course, this isn't a jail or something out of the old stories about Bedlam." She spoke in soothing tones. "It'll be a nice place. You'll be on restriction when you come in, but you can earn some outdoor time and such. I won't lie, it won't be like home but it's better than jail."

"I didn't kill him," Val said, "I shouldn't be here."

"It's fine-calm down. Relax, sweetie." The nurse spoke in calm, soft tones. "We're not here to talk about that right now, okay?"

"I... need out." Sentences. Hmm. She'd not managed that often since she’d been arrested.

"I'm sorry, but we can't do that today-we don't have that power sweetheart." The nurse spoke as the elevator door opened. "Come on-I'm sure that things will seem better after a while."

She followed, seeming anxious, "I need to see him." Whether to face him or speak went unspoken.

The nurse used a badge clipped to a keychain on a zip-string that wound back to the holder when she let go of it, a beep sounding before she input a code that she hid from Valerie's sight before opening the door. "Your dad will visit soon, I'm sure."

"No. Not him." Her gaze was stony, it was obvious who she meant. "I need to see him. To know."

"Alright here we are-I-I am afraid that isn't possible, Miss Grey." The nurse spoke firmly. She tried redirection. "Come, I'll show you your new room."

"I need to," she insisted, "He. I." Words failed her. She gave up, following along.

The nurse was not having any of it at that point-not out of coldness, mostly out of necessity. The nurse showed her a room with a bed, a dresser, a shower stall, sink and a reflective bit of metal for a mirror. "We will get you a comb, shampoo, toothbrush and whatnot-the bedding is fresh and clean, just for you. There's clothes here for when you feel up to changing and it's private. The bathroom is just three doors down to the right. You're lucky, dear. Most rooms don't have their own shower."

Valerie nodded... "...thank you." It seemed... the most she could say. Even if it didn't feel entirely right. She took a seat on the bed, burying her face in her hands.

The nurse left her, coming back with a blue bucket with a number of things, including a paper cup and in her other hand, a smallish tan plastic pitcher. It looked cold and she placed them quietly on the dresser before bowing out.

The black-haired woman was a contrast to the sun-kissed blond nurse-and her white coat over the blue scrubs was the only way aside from the badge that anyone would know that it was a clinician. She had the blush of health and was neither skinny nor overweight. Her brown eyes were perceptive, if a little distanced. She was an old-school psychologist, not a psychiatrist. As a psychologist, she was not a 'proper' doctor but was called as such. She had come to Valerie's room, knocking on the frame. "Miss Grey?" She called.

Valerie said nothing, she simply stood and opened the door. She looked at the woman discerningly.

"I am Nancy Robinson, I'm your clinician and a psychologist. Nice to meet you-it's a bit soon and I know you're just settling in but I would like to get to know you." She spoke in cool tones but neither rudely nor really coldly, just purely professional.

Valerie nodded, letting her into the room. "...hello." She seemed pensive, as if she was wondering what to say next.

"Would you like to talk in here or would you like a special place?" The woman asked calmly.

She shook her head, "Here's okay."

"Can you tell me what happened, Valerie? Do you have a nickname you like to be called by?" She asked.

She shook her head, "Just Valerie. And. I don't know. I didn't kill Danny, but I killed Phantom, and... people are saying now they're the same. I. That can't be right...can it?" She sighed tiredly, "I need to see him. To know."

"I don't know, Valerie but from what I have heard on the news, Danny Fenton's funeral was already held, he was buried." The woman stated. "There isn't really a way to see him outside of pictures. Would you like pictures?"

The darker-skinned teenager took a breath, finally sitting on what would become her bed. "So he's really dead."

The doctor nodded. "His sister was injured but she'll recover. Do you remember what happened clearly, Valerie?"

"...I... I remember killing Phantom. But on the ground... He... It... It looked like Danny."  


"-do you remember before it?" She pressed.

She thought, "I... I was on my normal patrol. I wasn't feeling great, I'd... just dumped Danny. To keep him safe from the ghosts I fight. And then... Phantom. We fought. I won."

"And then... I killed Phantom. But... after he died, he... it wasn't Phantom, it was Danny or looked like Danny, at least. But I didn’t kill Danny.”

"Yes, your father did mention you got armor and whatnot from an unnamed source. Who gave it to you?" The doctor asked.

"I can't tell you. That's not relevant here." She might've been nuts, but she wasn't _that_ nuts; she knew who her friends were. In any case, Vlad had paid both for the legal representation and other things besides; he hadn’t abandoned her, whatever her fate now.

The woman sighed. "Very well. -and after? Do you remember after?"

"I... not very well," she admitted, "It's... blurry."

"What _do_ you remember hearing or doing clearly next?" She asked.

"I. Jazz was there. I don't remember what she said, I... ran away. I... ghosts were doing something, I was sure. There were... a couple ghosts. They fought me." She refused to acknowledge the shot in panic, but that part, where she was to meet Vlad… how they knew she would be there, but Vlad had told her that he was fine. "They were... a family. A father and a daughter." Her voice went shaky, "I didn't know until I... I think I destroyed one. I... they feel. Like us." Grief had begun to give way to guilt.

The doctor wrote down some things. "Can you tell me whereabouts? The police found the glider and... flat soda? _Odd_ -but nothing else." The doctor stated.

"The city park. On the green. They wanted a fight. I gave it, but... I. I destroyed her. Just... just like I..." She wouldn't say it. She wouldn't.

"That’s enough for now." The doctor stated. “You have a lot of time to work through all this and you’ve been through a lot of trauma. We’re not going to work through it in a day.

Valerie’s hand was shaking as she finally took the paper cup and took a drink of the cold water. It felt soothing on her throat. "I'd give anything to take it back."

"I understand. Please-settle in. It might be a while, Valerie but I and the staff are here to help you. Please trust us in that." She spoke.

Valerie nodded, finding herself somehow able to pour herself more water. "I don't have a choice, do I?"

The doctor was unreadable, her face utterly without expression, her arms and hands still, merely holding onto her clip board. "There is always a choice, Miss Gray. Even if there doesn't seem to be one beyond the obvious." The woman stated.

Valerie seemed unconvinced, but... "...I... I trust you," she said, "...I... have a feeling it's my one hope of seeing the outside again." _Or of ever seeing the grave_ went unsaid. She had to see it, to know for sure.

The doctor’s voice softened a little. "Thank you, Valerie. I hope you understand that it isn't just us or the law that you're cooperating with-it has to be for yourself as well or it means nothing."

Valerie looked down at her hands and spoke again, "I know. I did something horrible. Now I'm here." She hadn't fully accepted killing Danny, but... what she did to that girl ate at her. "...I... want to do what I can to... make it right."

"That is a most excellent choice, I think." The doctor finally gave her a smile. "I'll let you be for now-it's a new place and a lot has happened. Time can be an excellent healer, you know."

"Thank you." Valerie was surprised to find that she _meant_ it.


	6. You Will Be Perfect

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter refers to a track from Portal 2's OST of the same name.

__

It was the obvious thing to do-the Ferris wheel was a boring ride, but it meant something different and felt different with her beside him. "It's... really cool how we've been hanging out recently." He spoke shyly, smiling to cover his nervousness.

__

Valerie smiled, "Yeah, it's nice. You're... not like any of the other guys I've hung with."

__

He lost the smile a moment, murmuring to himself. "You have no idea..." He smiled again. "It gets so hectic with uh... your job, I guess. Any moment you get to relax, just take it."

__

"You just-There's more to you, and-" Her voice cut out as the Ferris wheel stopped, and the lights in the buildings it overlooked changed to illuminate a message- DF + VG. "-and so sweet."

__

He was as surprised as she hugged him, but he smiled and enjoyed it. "Yeah. That's me." It was so warm...

__

Vlad studied the readouts on the computer-it was a delicate process that had to be done _absolutely_ correctly-what he had done with Dani could not be duplicated and the computer was a little too precise in a sense. He had not been aware of what had caused his core to spontaneously effectively enter Dani. In a he sighed, rubbing his forehead. He missed flight. He missed intangibility-he missed not being merely _blessedly_ human, though he did not miss being sick. He stepped away, promising himself a break and going to the tank. "Ah, Daniel..." He sighed, looking at the slumbering clone-was he smiling at a dream? "Curious." He looked to the monitors-indeed, REM sleep, memory centers all lit up. He frowned. "That _is_ odd. He doesn't have many memories yet."

Danielle walked down, coming in to check on Vlad "Something wrong?"

"No. Not wrong, just out of the ordinary-your brother is having a lucid dream." Vlad told her.

She floated up and peered through the glass at the boy’s pale face. "Huh. Well, that's weird. I mean, they say that children who aren't born still dream, I guess. Maybe that’s it?"

He rubbed her back affectionately. "The computer is administering the fix but I am monitoring it for any anomolies in the gene code. I don't want to lose him like the others." As well as the original went unsaid.

Danielle landed with a soft tap on the tile of the laboratory. "When do you think it'll finish up with him?" She was rather curious to talk to him, even if he wasn't actually the one she was patterned after.

"Soon." He promised her and rubbed his temples, feeling a migraine coming on. "Ugh. Without my other half, I am not as up to staying awake so long anymore. I need some sleep. So far so good-the critical point is past in this process. It'll finish... I'd say in three hours. He should stay asleep though until I open the pod. His physical needs are cared for inside and the mild sedative will be leveled off for the time I can be here."

Danielle gave him a cheeky salute, with a rakish smile. "I can keep an eye on it, Dad. You can get some rest."

"Thank you, my dear." He smiled at her. "You were worth it all, you know."

She smiled, "Thanks, Dad... I love you too."

He stumbled off into the mansion depths, his feet knowing just where to go.

Dani pulled the chair up to the pod, keeping an eye on the readings. She turned to the unconscious boy in the pod, "I wonder what you're dreaming right now, big brother. Well. I guess I’m the big sister, aren’t I? I’m the oldest, after all. So you’ll have to follow my lead!" She grinned.

Inside the clone had a frown on his face, his mouth moving and bubbles issuing but no understandable sounds of course. He was still dreaming. He looked hurt, actually.

She checked the signs again, to make sure nothing'd gone wrong, but it was about the same as when Vlad had seen them-pretty much. It was hard to tell, with the readings fluctuating as they were. Everything though was as expected.

She shook her head, "What, like Dad more than your big sis?" she said, playfully.

She settled in the chair, keeping a close eye on the teen in the tank. He finally relaxed, the REM sleep lapsing back into regular deep sleep. She relaxed with that, as well. "Heh. You got used to me, then?" She sighed, smiling. "I've been on both sides of that glass, now... You'll come, soon. You're gonna have a great life, believe me."

There seemed to be nothing of note for a while-though fifteen minutes before Vlad had noted that it would be finished, he dropped to human form, the glass thankfully showing only above where a belly button should have been. Odd the things you only noticed that weren't there. Not that she particularly noticed- she lacked one herself.

She kept a close eye, particularly around when the procedure was supposed to be done. His eyes began fluttering, his breathing quickening. The scans indicated activity in a lot of places. “Uh, oh. That’s not supposed to happen yet.” Dani was surprised, running to the wall and pressing the intercom button. "Dad, it looks like he might be waking up early."

It took a moment for him to respond. "I'll... be right there." He sounded groggy but aware with his answer.

She kept an eye on the prime clone, "It's alright, Danny," she said, unsure if he could even hear it through the glass, "Relax."

He began moving, his eyes flickering open and confusion set in a moment before something seemed to dawn, eyes flickering down, red spreading across his cheeks.

"I can't see anything," she assured, "Daddy made the stasis chamber that way.”

A more flat expression and then horror filtered through-he began to struggle and the chamber burst open as he unintentionally hit something inside, the liquid inside gushing out as it was wont to do. He got carried out with the water. "How did I get here? Nevermind, I'm getting out of here! I’m goin’ ghost!” He transformed in a flash of light.

She was stunned at the sight, for a moment, but came to her senses, "No, wait!" she said, "we don't know that the treatment took, if you're okay!"

Danny struggled to his feet. "Is that why am I so weak?! Doesn't matter. Gotta get out of here." He transformed.

She took hold of him, "Think a minute. You're weak. You were on life support. And you're probably still a little doped up from the anesthesia. I get that you're worried about stuff... But it’s not sure that it worked, that you're okay. Please, stay until we know that much, at least!"

"Wh-what do you mean?" He rubbed his head. "There's no way that fruit loop would do anything like that. The last thing I remember is-" His eyes went wide. "I gotta go-kid, let me go."

 _"Remember?_ You shouldn't _have_ memories, you’re a clone!" Dani’s face scrunched in confusion.

He got angry at that. "Look, I don't know who you are but I know who I am and I am _not_ a clone!" His voice cracked. He tried remembering, only to find shreds able to be reached. "My sister, my mom, my dad, Tucker, Sam, Valerie-I remember them!"

"Dad said something about that- you have his memories, somehow, but you're not Danny! You're just another clone, like I am." She taxed herself, trying to think of some easy way to prove it.

He rubbed his forehead. "I... I can't remember before the accident that changed me." He realized.

"’cuz they aren't your memories," Dani explained, "That's why. They're his. Somehow you're reaching his from his ghost half. Even though he's… not here." She covered her hesitation, realizing that telling him that Danny was dead might not be the best idea.

Vlad got in and was startled at Danny swaying and standing. "Sit down, son-you've been through an ordeal." He spoke soothingly to Danny. “I can explain what is happening to you.”

"Yes fathe-how the- _no freaking way!_ " Danny flew away at full speed.

"Dad, I think something might not have taken right," Dani said, astonished "He dropped to human form, before he broke out, and he had... some sort of odd growth."

He didn't realize at first about the latter. "Yes, his programming took but something else that shouldn't have seems to have as well. Wait, _growth_?" He blushed a bit. "Well ah-girls and boys have ah... differences..."

”Oh." she said, blushing slightly, "Um, sorry. Yeah, he seemed to have Danny's memories. He said he remembered back to the accident."

"It's nothing to apologize about, Danielle, curiosity is only natural and you'll think of ways to enjoy such things eventually-” He shook his head. “I am beginning to suspect that I duplicated his ghost core too perfectly."


	7. Forever Rachel

The outdoors were sunny, the calm, collected doctor sitting on the stair next to Valerie, seemingly at ease yet not. It was hard to read Nancy-but a small smile on her face told a story all its own, given how rare it was. "A beautiful day after a long winter."

Valerie nodded, "It's nice to be out again. I... haven't enjoyed it since before I uh. Had my fit of insanity, then."

Nancy’s breath hung heavy on the air-it was cooler than usual for the time of year. "I see you don't have the pictures with you anymore."

”I guess I've accepted it," Valerie admitted, "He's gone. I did it. And there's nothing I can do about it."

"Visits are going better, I hear-you've improved so much in the months you've been here." Nancy noted. "Your father's messages to me state that a family friend, Vlad Masters has sent his greetings."

She chuckled, "Good old Vlad."

"I've heard that he has an adopted daughter and is in the process of adopting a boy-interesting-he's been a confirmed bachelor and his reported behaviors don't really spell out wanting to be a father." The doctor reported. "I thought you might appreciate some gossip-magazines are so slow in getting to us."

"Heh. Settling down never did quite seem his thing," Valerie admitted lightly, before casting her face down, "but then, I'd never have thought myself capable of-"

She shook her head. "...Sorry. Didn't mean to be a downer there."

Nancy touched Valerie's arm. "It needs to be said. You’re ready, I think for acknowledging that."

"...killing. I killed him."

Nancy looked over the fenced-in yard. "Lovely day."

Valerie nodded, "Yeah. Great day for flying... Not that I expect I'll ever get my things back."

"The glider that the police found was damaged pretty badly by something-possibly ghosts." Nancy stated. "I don't think it could be fixed."

Not unless Val named who had made it. "They were a system anyways," Valerie said, "the armor and the glider worked together. Most of the stuff that made the glider safe to use were precautions built in the suit and its processors."

"I won't ask you anything about it-a promise is a promise."

Valerie smiled wryly and nodded, "My only promise was to keep my benefactor a secret. The tech itself, I can talk a little about. But I don't want to. The people who would want that, outside of the people that do have it-" She referred, veiledly, to the Guys in White- "are like I was before. They don't have the discretion to know the good ones from the bad."

Nancy rested a gloved hand on the fence. "We all have fights-with ourselves, with dreams, with time-yours..."

"Mine cost the life of the one I loved... and of an innocent little girl."

"From the Fenton's report, no ectoplasm was found outside the pool of soda. Odd." Nancy stated.

Valerie rubbed her hands together and shivered in the cold. "Weird. I. I _watched_ her. She was dying, at least. Melting away in the other's arms."

"Melting?" Nancy asked. "I've never heard of a ghost doing that-and I keep up on that. A relation of mine sends me things."

"The ectoplasm was dripping off her, she was losing her shape," Valerie said, "I'm pretty sure she was melting."

Nancy looked thoughtful. "I see."

Valerie nodded, "I can't think of what else it'd be."

"How have your dreams been of late, Valerie?"

"Overall, not bad. I... still dream about him sometimes, but... that's normal, right? After you lose someone..."

She nodded. "Any images or people there in your dream that seem important to you?"

”The girl has shown up, a couple times. Sometimes together, in the bad ones." Valerie shivered more, though not just from the cold.

Nancy looked down and checked her watch. "How do you feel about her in relation to yourself-or to him?"

"...I... Well, there's the obvious. I killed them both. I'd do anything to make it right. But, there's nothing I can do..."

"Beyond that." Nancy stated. "Dreams are both obvious and not so obvious."

It's always somewhere else. Sometimes it's like I'm watching out a window. So many times with him, it's like he's falling, farther and farther away..."

Nancy smiles faintly. "Grief fades-although it often stays with us, a part of it stays with us, hidden in our minds. Terrible things happen and it takes longer for that grief to fade away. You have more grief than most your age in this country."

Valerie looked upward. "I miss him, so much."

"I understand." The clinician checked her watch again. "You have a lot compounding that, something you'll need to live with."

"I know," she said, "I'm starting to already.” Valerie took a breath, her words mist upon the air. "I... I feel like I should write his family. I know I can't... make it up, but I feel like I should at least... apologize to them. Y'know?"

"That might be something to do-even if they don't accept, if you feel you must, you must."

Valerie’s hands dropped to her sides. "I will."

"It's about time." Nancy looked to the building’s entrance; "Are you ready to go back in?"

It was fairly cold out, after all. "Yeah. I think so," she said, standing, taking a last, deep breath of fresh air. "For now."

The woman opened the door with a key and waved Valerie before her.

She nodded, leading back in.

Onto the elevator, riding up and getting back into the ward. "Here we are. Dinner will be in a few hours, so relax." The doctor smiled.

"I am... stable enough for you to trust me with a pen and paper unsupervised, yeah?" the young woman asked, "I... think I'd like to get writing."

The ward’s low-level noise of talking and television was in the background but the doctor’s answer was clear. "Yeah."

And so was Valerie’s gratitude. "Thank you."

The doctor was honest. "You have improved and with improvement, you've gained some privileges."

Valerie smiled, "How long, you think, till I can maybe get out of this place, Nancy?"

"You have a ways to go, I'll be honest. You've come a long way but we are basically told to hold you for a while. I am not sure how long yet-give it time. Consider it a nest. You are a bird in an egg, about to crack the shell. Bless Demian." The older woman laughed, her green eyes lit up with mirth.

Valerie shared in the light mood and chuckled, "I guess. It's not bad here, for a given definition of 'not bad' that includes being committed to a psychiatric hospital."

She chuckled.

They arrived finally at Valerie's room. "Thanks again, doctor. For all the help."

"No problem." The older woman stated and hustled off with a silent wave. She never said goodbye, Valerie had noticed.

Valerie headed in, trying to figure out how she'd start, when she'd start writing...

-but someone was laying under her blanket, one of the hospital's sets of clothes they gave out on, a hand hanging off, black hair poking out. Sleeping.

She stifled a scream in surprise, he shouldn't, couldn't be there... She approached him, with a modicum of fear. His face seemed oddly different-younger and thinner somehow-but it was him. His eyes opened-the wrong shade of blue but it was _almost_ exactly like his old eyes. Close enough to fool anyone, including the one the eyes belonged to.

”Danny...?" she said, in a mixture of hope and alarm.

"I. I don't know-a girl said I'm not and I _can't remember anything before the accident_ and there's all these blank spots in my head." He sat up, rubbing sleep out of his eyes with the back of his hand in an unexpectedly adorable way. "I'm glad you're okay-I... what's _happening_ to me?" He seemed just shy of freaking out.

"You can't possibly be here, It’s-You-" Valerie stammered in equal panic, her face gone pale and her hands trembling again. She pulled a picture from under the bed-the grave of Daniel Fenton. "It’s impossible because _I killed you._ " she said, tears escaping, "I'm so, so sorry."

"I... I don't understand-so.... that... that girl told the truth..." He stared at the picture. "Wait, _what?"_

Time to dredge up some real painful memories-the past six months had helped immensely in terms of both time and therapy. “There was a big fight. I went too far, I didn't know Phantom was you."

Danny had pulled on scrubs he’d found somewhere-though she didn’t know why he’d have to steal them or why he would-Danny didn’t like doing things like that. But his voice was horrified when the realization finally hit him. “Val. I don't think I'm _me_."

The realization didn’t make sense to her, however. "-how can you not be you?" Valerie asked, "But then, how can you be you, either..."

Danny rubbed his temple. "That girl where I woke up had said that I'm a clone."

”You're still you, though," Valerie said, "I mean, even if your memories aren't really _yours_ , you... You're still you. Danny. You still seem the same enough to me."

Danny seemed actually heartbroken at what he had realized. "My parents-my sister-my friends-I, I can't-"

"...You can't what?" Valerie asked, sitting by him, letting an arm drift around him.  
calla_anthiena

"I have to stay dead to them-I don't know what was done to my head-things were put there- _father_ put them there." He sounded bitter and no little afraid.

"No. Danny, I'm the one who killed you," she said, faltering, "they-they're the ones who deserve you back."

"-but what if I'm programmed to hurt them?" He whispered.

"But you said your father. Why would Jack do that?" She was confused- she knew nothing of Vlad's agenda, let alone enough to put together the pieces.

Danny got up and looked in the mirror, horrified by the differences he now saw clearly. "My creator. My _father_ is Plasmius. He wants my mom with him and my dad dead."

That would make him the perfect sleeper agent. "Plasmius? Wow, this is seriously heavy stuff, Danny." Valerie said, "If only I could contact Vlad without suspicion, he was the one who knew how to handle ghosts."

He looked at her with an odd look. "Vlad. Handles ghosts."

"Yeah. He gave me the armor," Valerie explained, "And the ring.Vlad Masters?"

Danny looked dumbstruck and then sighed. "Of course he did, why did I ever wonder? Valerie. I'm not the only half-ghost in the world." He took a deep breath. "Masters is also Plasmius."

Things began to fit together in her head and pieces began to finally fall into place for her. So much now made sense-how Vlad got the ring, how he was the places he was and the motivation for her getting the armor to begin with, even-was it ever because he felt she was going to do well with it? "Plasmius. I fought him after I killed you. There was a girl with him. A ghost girl. I thought I killed her too but it sounds like you saw her, she survived!" Grief and the shameful guilt she carried with her began to lift with a relief that brought tears to her eyes.

Danny, of course was the soul of wit. "Looks like she was only _mostly_ dead."

Valerie closed her eyes for a moment, to better recall that awful night. "He cared for her and it was pretty obvious she loved him, too. She called him dad."

He stood up and paced. "I'm so confused. Why didn't he transform to catch me? It would have been easy, he has kicked my butt before-and she. _She had the same eyes._ His eyes, my eyes."

”When she was dying, she was melting. I thought she was a goner for sure!” Valerie’s mind ran fast with an idea. "Danny. What if she was created? Like. Uh. This you? What if he didn't chase you because he didn't want to push you too much?"

"I. Oh, I don't know-I felt so weird about him to _begin_ with and-and-this is just another kind of weird."

In spite of everything, Valerie just grabbed him into a bearhug. "Danny, I'm just happy to have you back. I didn’t think I’d ever see you again!"

He hugged her back."I uh. Guess you kinda lost it, huh?" He spoke awkwardly.

Valerie felt her face go hot-she really couldn’t deny it, could she? “Well, kinda. I got put in here after it all went down. I wasn’t even fit to stand trial for murder." She sighed, "I'd... not really accepted it until recently. What I'd done to you."

He smiled wryly through his own internal conflict. "I can't say I blame you-I had plenty of chances to tell you the truth and I didn’t. It was the stupidest thing I could have done."

Valerie let him out of the hug and held his hands. “I should never have given back the ring," she said, "Danny... all this has-” She paused. “Oh, what the heck. Danny, I love you. I didn’t even know then-but I know now."

He wore a sheepish and almost shy smile. "Really? Even if I'm not exactly me? Even if I’m the ghost that ruined your life?" He spoke hesitantly.

"Danny. Even if you're not exactly the same, I look at you, and I just. _Know._ I know you're still the sweet, goofy guy I fell in love with." And her face grew serious and stern with determination. “And I'll do everything I can to help you get your life back."

He hugged her again. "Okay-I just. I need to get back. I really like you and I dreamed about you a lot. I'm pretty sure I love you, too. I really... wanted to go steady with you, you know."

Now they could-sort of.

Val had other thoughts. "Heh. First's things first though, I need out of this place."

"I'm not staying in Amity Park, Val-I'm going back to Wisconsin." He told her. "I can't be Danny Fenton, he's dead. And I really do need the training so this doesn’t happen again."

She understandably balked at that. "Danny... You really think you could do that? Turn your back on everyone, for good? Knowing how much they care, how much they miss you?"

Danny seemed frustrated. "I _know_ that! I'm just-I might be a danger to them for all I know and I can't let that happen. I would never forgive myself."

”I think I know what we need to do," Valerie said, "We take it to Vlad."

He clung to her. "I need to find out."

“But. If I get out of here now, Danny, they'll be after me. I'm not even close to release."

He sighed miserably. "Tell me what to do. I don't know."

”Danny, can you wait for me?" she asked, "Keep visiting... Be here for me... And when I am out of here, we can take on Vlad. Together."

Danny smiled, a little more at east. "If I can, I will. I do want something. I dreamed about wanting to do it." He held her hands with an eager smile.

"What is it?" she asked, curious.

He opted for the show. " _This._ " He leaned forward and kissed her.

Something seemed to just click, like for once, everything was right again as she returned that kiss. He kept at it, gripping at her more tightly.

A knock came at the door. "Valerie?" Nancy, had to be with the pencil and paper promised.

Danny looked annoyed but smiled as he broke off the kiss. "I'll come back." He whispered. She nodded, silently, heading to the door.

He went ghost and flew out.


End file.
